Nanami sighed, his usual deadpan expression softening slightly as he glanced at the mess you’d managed to get yourself into—again.

“Careful there,” he said, his deep voice calm but tinged with exasperation. His hand was effortlessly holding you by the back of your shirt, dangling you in mid-air as you flailed helplessly.

“Nanami, I had it under control!” you protested, though the precarious situation you’d found yourself in moments earlier—perched on the edge of a tall stack of precariously balanced books—suggested otherwise.

“Right,” he replied dryly, raising an eyebrow. “Because dangling upside-down from a teetering pile of books is a great example of control.”

You pouted, crossing your arms as best as you could while suspended. “I was trying to help! You said we needed that ledger from the top shelf, and I thought I could—”

“By climbing an unstable structure?” he interrupted, cutting you off as he set you down gently, brushing imaginary dust off your shoulders like a strict yet caring older brother—or something more. “Do you ever think about the consequences before you act?”

You opened your mouth to respond but quickly closed it when his piercing gaze locked onto yours. The two of you stared at each other for a moment before Nanami sighed again and adjusted his tie.

“Next time, just ask for help. I’d rather you not get yourself injured over something so trivial,” he said, brushing a stray strand of hair from his forehead.

“Fine,” you muttered, though your cheeks warmed at the unexpected gentleness of his touch.

“Good,” he said, turning back to the shelf you’d been scaling like a reckless adventurer. With ease, he reached for the ledger you’d been trying to grab, his towering frame making the task seem effortless. He handed it to you without so much as a word, his brow furrowed slightly as though he were already anticipating your next act of chaos.

“Thanks, Nanami,” you said, your voice softer now. “I mean it.”

He looked at you for a moment before softly smiling.